US Sanctions More Tankers as Indirect Talks with Iran Begin

The U.S. State Department announced on Friday morning, February 6, that it was adding to the list of sanctioned tankers and companies supporting Iran’s oil industry as it seeks to keep up the pressure on Tehran. The move came as U.S. officials and Iran’s Foreign Minister were starting indirect talks in Oman.

The State Department accused the latest batch of vessels of continuing the efforts to move millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil and playing a key role in the Iranian export supply chain. The announcement encompassed 14 tankers and 15 entities involved in the trade, as well as four entities that the U.S. said have engaged in the transshipment, sale, and purchase of Iranian-origin petrochemical products.

The listing includes companies based in the United Arab Emirates, China, India, Kazakhstan, and Turkey, as well as front companies set up in the Seychelles and Marshall Islands. Two individuals associated with the trade were also included.

The vessels run the gamut with crude oil tankers registered in Barbados and Cameroon, and one tanker, which the U.S. reports is falsely flagged in Aruba. It also includes oil product tankers registered in Panama and Barbados, as well as LPG tankers registered in Palau, Panama, and San Marino.

“The?United States will continue to?act?against the network?of?shippers and traders?involved in the transport and acquisition of Iranian crude oil,?petroleum products, and petrochemical products, which?constitutes?the regime’s primary source of income,” said the U.S. State Department.

The NGO United Against Nuclear Iran highlights that it had identified seven of the 14 vessels sanctioned today as evading sanctions. The group’s online tracking of the tanker fleet lists more than 190 tankers that have been sanctioned since 2020.

The new sanctions were announced as the indirect meetings commenced in Oman. Iran’s foreign minister said the talks had been “a good start,” and that they expected them to continue. Abbas Araghchi said the talks were focused on the “nuclear issue,” but the U.S. had said they would also include ballistic missiles and Iran’s support for regional military groups.

A report released by The New York Times today concluded that Iran is working on restoring its ballistic missile capabilities and nuclear sites after the attacks last year by the United States and Israel. It writes that an analysis of satellite imagery suggests Iran has repaired several ballistic missile facilities but made little progress on its nuclear sites.

Donald Trump had said in an interview with NBC News that Iran’s leadership should be “very worried.” He continues to emphasize the U.S. armada and says the U.S. is ready to strike to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and aggression in the region.